


Lucy

by Doceo_Percepto



Series: A Noncanon Version of Little Nightmares II [11]
Category: Little Nightmares (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Gaslighting, Mono and Six are adults, Mono tries but he's as morally pure as sewer water, Negligent parent, Nondescriptive childbirth, OK I swear she doesn't eat the kid though, Six's A+ parenting, Six's cannibalism, nondescriptive sex, slight amnesia, this is not a very happy story, toxic family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-02
Updated: 2020-12-23
Packaged: 2021-03-09 18:54:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,238
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27831094
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Doceo_Percepto/pseuds/Doceo_Percepto
Summary: Six and Mono have a daughter. Six isn’t enthusiastic. Not at first.(This is the obligatory Mono and Six have a kid, only it’s probably not half as cute as anyone was hoping).
Relationships: Mono/Six (Little Nightmares)
Series: A Noncanon Version of Little Nightmares II [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1652644
Comments: 27
Kudos: 175





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story deals with childbirth and rearing, however, I’ve made some Moomin-inspired changes to how this process goes. Pregnancy is very easy, ain't no trouble. Also, children basically emerge as super tiny adults, with a reasonable ability to function on their own / with minimal parental assistance. I did this for three reasons:
> 
> -I don’t like dealing with babies/toddlers and slow developmental periods  
> -If the child was born dependent on Six, it’d probably be dead anyway.  
> -The LN universe seems well suited for this kind of interpretation, given the position children have in the world
> 
> Thank you to the anonymous commenter on Drowning Saudade who got me motivated to finally write this!

Their daughter was born deep in Autumn. Six and Mono had been traveling west on a journey to lands unexplored in hunt of more bodies, cities, and food. Their endeavor took them into the heart of a serene wood, where the soil was rich and dark, the moss crept in healthy vivid green sprawls around the mighty trunks, and umber leaves crunched underfoot. A silence hung heavy over this forest; in his youth, Mono might have been frightened of its eerie hush. Now, though, he knew it was quiet because the forest could sense the dangerous invisible veil that always clung to Six. Animals and wise people could often sense it, and kept their distance. 

Mono for one was glad to travel with her: her presence staved off weird half-memories that tried to sneak in, about bodies overstuffed in nets, and metal teeth snapping shut on unsuspecting limbs. These were memories from a time he wasn’t sure had really existed. One night, he woke abruptly, lurched from a dream about those metal teeth leaping from the ground to crush him in their jaws, and he thought it was the nightmare that had woken him. He was wrong. The forest was black as pitch, the canopy drowning out any hint of moonlight. Reflexively, he reached out for Six blindly - she was and would always be a comfort to him - and grasped warm flesh. She was already awake.

“ _Sorry, nightmare_ ,” he whispered when she jerked. 

The only response was a ragged, gasping breath: the first sign that something was _wrong_. The unsteadiness of her breathing made him feel like he’d swallowed ice, because she didn't sound good. Not at all. 

“Six?” The word trembled in the dark.

Her fingers fell upon him, clinging and clawing weakly. She was shaking.

“Six, are - are you okay?” A stupid question. It took much too long for him to process what was really going on. He hadn’t known she was pregnant. _She_ hadn’t known, either. Both of them had written offspring off as an impossibility since, time and time again, there were no surprises from their nightly activities. Or hadn’t been, until now. Nature had a way of proving people wrong.

He clung to her in return, rocked her, and whispered soothing words while poorly reigning in his own tide of panic. 

Dawn was beginning to break when a new tiny cry rent the air. A fussing, kicking body flailed in blood-soaked leaves, existing in the world where only yesterday, it had not. Mono felt like he was witnessing everything from outside his body, but every image flashed horrifically vividly. Six’s thighs covered in blood. The child half-buried in leaves. Sounds came in weirdly, sometimes too loud, sometimes too quiet. He could barely fathom what had happened.

But it was done. A new life was in their midst. A helpless, struggling one. 

“Should we-?” Mono cast a desperate look towards Six. Wasn’t the mother supposed to care for their child? At least get the dirt and leaves off? Wasn’t there some inherent instinct that governed a mother’s actions after birth?

But Six did nothing, transfixed in horror at what she’d created. Nobody was doing anything to protect or tend to the baby - somebody had to do _something_ …

Mono was on his knees in the next second, scooping the wriggling mass into his arms, and pulling off the leaves stuck to her skin. The second he had her in his arms, a rush of protectiveness and bizarre joy consumed him. He was confused, terrified, but also in complete awe. Trembling, Mono’s fingers brushed aside her sticky bangs, revealing eyes squinted in tears. 

“We - we have a daughter,” Mono uttered, nearly delirious. They had made _life_ together. He held her out to Six, as if in evidence, trying to prove something he hadn’t yet convinced himself was true. Except Six’s pupils were blown wide, her body tense from head to toe. When Mono held their daughter out and Six recoiled, his giddy elation was poisoned by icy fear. 

She didn’t want it. 

That’s what every line in her body said. That’s what the revulsion written on her face made clear. She didn’t want her daughter anywhere near her. 

It was Mono that frantically scrubbed the little girl dry, with the only means available to him - his own clothes - until her slicked hair poofed and he found she had the same uncontrollably wavy brown hair that he possessed, and Six’s dark brown eyes. 

It was Mono who cuddled her close to his chest for warmth, and wrapped her in his cloak. Mono who fussed over her until her tiny cries dwindled into smiles. 

All this Six watched with a confused disgust. Mono didn’t know what to do, or what to say. He may not have planned for the fragile body he cradled to himself, but now that she was here, he had to do everything in his power to care for and cherish her the way his mother had him - or better than her, which felt like a traitorous thought, except that he didn’t want his daughter to suffer neglect or abandonment, not for any reason, not like he had. 

Six didn’t seem to share those feelings. 

A yawning emptiness made its home in Mono’s chest, as the enormity of the situation settled heavily over his shoulders. What was he supposed to do? Sure, they hadn’t intended a daughter, but now they had one, and Six needed to be part of this. 

Unknowing of his tumultuous thoughts, the girl was already kicking her little legs and swiveling her head one way and the next, possessed of an immense curiosity for this new world around her. “ _Ahp_ ,” she said, tugging Mono’s lapels with her tiny hands.

“Six, she’s ours,” Mono tried pleadingly. He wanted Six to be happy. To at least be with him through this, navigating the maelstrom of emotions he was experiencing. 

In reply, Six snarled so low and sharp that the tiny creature in his arms flinched and cuddled to his chest, exploration forgotten. That snarl tore Six from whatever paralysis held her, and all at once, she struggled to her feet, twice nearly falling from her unsteady legs and the slick leaves. 

“Six, wait, you can’t just leave-“ but she was gone, off at a stumbling run. 

“It’s okay,” Mono whispered, hugging his daughter tight. “It’ll be okay.” He didn’t know if it was going to be okay. 

Six’s absence through the chilly morning put a solemn pallor over everything. Things were different now, and he wasn’t sure if they would ever be the same again. What if Six never wanted her? 

Fog lay heavy over the forest, which suited his dark mood. His daughter hadn’t been alive for a day and already he was bitterly questioning whether he and Six could aptly care for her. How could they, when Six wanted nothing to do with her? _Why_ did Six want nothing to do with her? Granted, Mono had never pegged Six as a motherly sort, but… Did she plan on just ignoring their daughter? Forever? Was Mono overthinking? He just - didn’t know what to think, except for this endless cycle of worrying. 

His daughter had no such concerns. As soon as Mono released her, she was happily toddling all around the woods, with so much enthusiasm that Mono found himself constantly having to herd her back to their campsite.

“You can’t stray far,” he’d tell her sternly, “We have to wait for Six.”

She’d respond with a series of meaningless syllables, grinning brightly like she’d actually communicated something. Then off she’d go again, wandering around until he inevitably brought her back to the campsite with the same gentle scolding. 

Even with the doubts that mired him, he couldn't help being warmed and endeared by the new tiny presence in his life. It really had been such a long time sine he’d looked at any kid closely, and he couldn't stop staring now. Her bright brown eyes were a shade that matched Six’s but the nose he was sure that was more like him, as well as the messy head of hair.

“You’re never going to get that hair under control,” he told her. “Trust me. It’s impossible.”

She just laughed. Her hands wanted to grab everything, from clothes, leaves, hair, _everything_. It all was a marvel for her. Everything new. The wonder in her eye as she took in the forest had Mono feeling something he hadn’t in a long, long time: an appreciation of the world, which he had long since dismissed as hopeless and dreary.

“What do you think we should name you, hmm?” He tried to ignore the absence of the second part of that _we_. “Mischievous, that’s what we should call you.” Tons of actual names passed through his mind, not the least Lucrecia - his mother’s name. Lucrecia. Luce. Lucy. It felt wrong, though, naming his and Six’s child without Six’s input.

His glances to the woods grew longer, more worried. Six would come back, right? The girl (he tried hard to not commit to Lucy, but failed) squeezed his leg and peered up at him, concern creasing her brow. 

“Hey, it’s okay.” He scooped her up and nuzzled her hair, fighting off his own fears. “I’m just - just waiting for your mom.”

He had no clue what to feed her, or how to take care of her. When she started getting fussy, he wetted some bread with water and fed it to her, and he did this several times throughout the morning since he entirely lacked any idea of what one was supposed to feed newborn children, aside from their mother’s milk - which obviously wasn’t going to happen.

“I’m sorry,” he told her, “I wish I knew better…” She didn’t seem to mind, and it pained him how sweet she was. As the morning wore on, Mono ripped up a spare shirt and did his best to shape it into something resembling clothes. He had some practice with this, and they had needle and thread available, so Lucy ended up with an oversized shirt that hung off her oddly, but clothes were clothes, and it kept her from shivering as she went on her adventures. 

It was mid afternoon when Six finally slunk back. 

The relief that crossed his face when she materialized must’ve been easy to read, else Lucy instinctively knew who her mother was, because she instantly squealed and padded towards Six, arms outstretched. Asking for the same affection that Mono had been giving all morning. 

Mono had only half a second to recognize the dangerous look in Six’s eyes as Lucy approached. “Wait-“ He jolted to his feet, but too late.

Six leaned down; with two fingers, she shoved Lucy over onto her back. 

“Six!” Mono outburst, rushing to gather the now sobbing girl into his hands and hush her softly. “Six, you can’t do that,” he growled.

Six’s eyes were narrowed as she watched their exchange. 

“I know you’re not happy, but -“ Mono chewed his lip in frustration. “Look, there was always a chance… And now that we have her, we can’t abandon her.” Not like his father had abandoned him. He couldn't put someone else through that. And in this world, without their protection… Lucy’s odds of survival weren’t great. But with him? With Six, who was more powerful than most people they’d ever come across? In a family like that, Lucy would be safe. 

When Six crept nearer, eyes settled upon Lucy, Mono had the naïveté to hope. To hope that Six would accept her, and accept the responsibility of her actions. Instead, Six coldly drew her finger across Lucy’s bare throat, then met Mono’s gaze steadily. The implication was obvious. They didn’t _have_ to keep Lucy. She was asking if Mono would let her get rid of the problem. 

Mono backed up, gritting his teeth against the rage and fear that flooded in. “No. NO. You’re not going to -“ If he kept on, he was going to say something very not nice. Fighting to calm down, “You’re not going to hurt her, Six. _Ever_.”

God, he had been sitting there going back and forth with himself worried about whether Six would help him care for Lucy or not, and now he was freaking out thinking that he had to stop Six from _killing_ Lucy, forget ever _caring_ for her. This was so messed up. 

There was only one way he knew to get through to Six, to instill the severity of the situation. “If you hurt her,” he uttered, shaky with anger, “I’m leaving.”

Six wound her shadows around every inch of him without a heartbeat of hesitation, their touch cold and tight while her eyes flashed dangerously. Lucy had gone very, very silent and the breath left Mono’s lungs. Six could kill him and Lucy very easily. Suddenly, though, he found something aside from Six that he was willing to risk his life for. 

He jerked his chin up and stared warningly right back. “I’m not fucking around. If you do anything to hurt her, I swear to God, Six, I’m gone.”

The shadows slipped off. Six’s expression wavered with dismay, and he almost _almost_ regretted what he said. He never would have even considered saying something like that before - his loyalty was with Six; was he really ready to abandon her just for some kid he’d only known a day? Only that kid was theirs, and…

Desperate for her to understand, Mono stepped closer. “I don’t want to choose between you two, Six. She’s not mine; she’s ours. Let’s just be a family together.”

Six waved her hand at him dismissively, eyes sullen. 

“I want you to help me name her.”

Six shook her head.

It had taken so little time for everything to change. Now their cozy relationship felt irreparable damaged. Mono didn’t want it to be. He loved Six, he wanted Six to love their daughter, too. But it seemed like that was an impossibility. Six had no interest in being a mother. 

For many days after, she was in a vicious and sour mood, refusing to get anywhere near Mono or Lucy, and casting an array of jealous looks whenever the two interacted positively. It made Mono feel like he was put on some kind of stage, where every interaction with Lucy was ferociously judged. He tried hard not to let it get to him. Meanwhile, he continued to feed Lucy scraps of his own food - pieces of bread, dried fruits, canned vegetables. It wasn’t the diet he’d hope for her, and feelings of inadequacy plagued him. At least his mom had been able to provide a greater variety of food to him. However, they were deep in the woods, with only enough food to last them their journey. He hadn’t planned for another mouth to feed. 

Six found her own food, whatever wildlife failed to escape her, and she ate it raw at their camps with little regard to how Lucy might respond. Of course, Six treated it so casually that Lucy seemed to have no idea it was strange, which bothered Mono more than he was expecting, and brought in fresh worries. Six… wasn’t exactly normal. What would it do to Lucy, being raised by someone with Six’s appetite? Having her kind of destructiveness normalized? With Lucy around, how could they continue their previous exploits, hunting, killing kids? _Should_ they continue them? There was no way Six would allow her hunting to come to an end, especially not for a kid she didn’t even want. 

For the first time in many, many years, Mono began to feel conflicted again about his and Six’s actions. He began to remember again the reservations he’d had in his youth, the morals that had so long been tamped down. Only he couldn't bring himself to leave. Six had been everything to him for so long… there was no way he could abandon her, either. 

The only comfort during that first week or two came from Lucy. She was stressful to care for, sure, but she had a positive demeanor that didn’t waver despite the tension between her parents. She also wielded a curiosity that could never be sated, and her stubbornness was so Six-like that Mono wished fiercely Six would see it, too.

Next, of course, was to teach her to talk. Very much _unlike_ Six, Lucy reveled in all the noises she could make. She reveled a little _too_ much, if you asked Mono, as she was often entertaining herself with any variety of peeps, squawks, shouts, and yips. He had no idea where she got it from, because he’d always been a quiet child and he couldn't imagine Six being loud, either. Regardless, it was a damn good thing that Mono didn’t have to worry about wayward monsters hearing her: Six might not like Lucy, but if anything came to cause trouble, Mono didn’t doubt Six would protect them both. Lucy got to experience the luxury afforded to very few kids: the luxury of not being afraid of imminent death. 

On top of the random noises, Lucy echoed Mono’s words to the best of her ability. She made clear efforts to learn and communicate by imitation, which is what prompted Mono to start teaching her. Much like everything else, he had no idea how to properly teach a child to speak, but he did his best.

Fortunately, Lucy was a dedicated, prodigious learner. She repeated after him, focusing hard, and never got upset when she got it wrong. No matter how many times it took, how much she stammered or faltered, she kept at it until she got the words right. Each time, Mono got excited with her, and praised the progress. 

It was impossible for him not to notice the envious gazes Six fixed upon Lucy during these times; Mono was grateful Lucy herself never noticed. 

“I could teach you, too,” Mono offered later, when Lucy was off playing.

Six just shook her head.

Lucy learned incredibly fast, and got so into the habit of imitation that once, Six hissed at her in irritation and Lucy had hissed right back instinctively, before clasping her hands to her mouth, eyes round. Mono was okay to imitate. But _Six_? 

Mono broke out laughing at Six’s shocked expression, and then, permission granted, Lucy burst out in a laughing fit herself, though she ran away on her little legs juuuust in case. Six grumbled. 

“Aw, c’mon, don’t you see how much she’s like you?”

Six stuck out her tongue. 

Mono dropped the subject. He was well aware Six could be dangerous to Lucy. The last thing he wanted was to prod Six into frustration. Just in case. In that regard, he and Lucy had similar feelings. He found himself repeating any number of warnings; “Don’t bother Six.” “Give Six some space.” “Be careful.”

These are things you don’t expect to have to tell your daughter, concerning her own mother. But better safe than sorry. For her part, Lucy learned quickly to stay away from Six. To be quieter around her.To be cautious. Mono hated that at such a young age, she had to learn to behave as if walking on eggshells. He didn’t know what else to do, though. He couldn't bear the idea of Six hurting Lucy, because then he knew he’d have to choose: Six, or Lucy. That wasn’t a choice he was capable of making. 

It was one Six probably wanted to put him in, though. She resented all the attention he gave Lucy: she wanted his attention all to herself. She was furious the first time she tried to get sensual with him, and he stopped it with the argument they couldn't in front of Lucy. Quickly she had taken things in a different direction, showering Mono in attention: nuzzling, licking, wanting to play. The fist time this happened was weirdly abrupt, but Mono was so pleased by the return of her playful personality (something he had so deeply missed) that he at once joined in the fun, letting her tickle his sides, rolling around, playing like they were kids once more. For a second, everything felt fine again. _Right_ again. When Lucy waddled in, giggling and wanting to join in, he dumbly thought that yeah, _finally_ , things were okay. Six would play with her daughter and it’d be okay. 

It didn’t work out that way. 

Six’s mood plummeted in a second flat, and before Mono could stop it, she shoved Lucy hard away from them and stumbled off. Mono spent the next several minutes consoling Lucy and nursing his own frustrations. Why couldn't Six just suck it up and be a better mother? She didn’t even have to be a good one, just - not so horrible. All she had to do was not scare Lucy, not shove her, and maybe show her the slightest bit of positive attention. 

Yet Six wanted to play only with him. To give only him attention. In her mind, it was her or Lucy: Mono could not love both. He didn’t understand where or how this had arisen, and his nerves were shot with the strain of both tending to a young child, and trying to mediate Six and Lucy’s fragmented relationship. All the tension was driving him crazy. 

It was no surprise that the first time he and Six were alone (to go hunting a sprawling metropolis they’d found, while they left Lucy in the woods with strict instructions not to stray), he couldn't resist the sort of relief that uniquely she could offer. 

After taking her fill of souls, her hot breath and needy hands easily convinced him to succumb. Just like when they had played, it felt natural as breathing, her body familiar to him in a way little else was. It was like drinking water after a long draught, and she managed to carry him to finish twice before the two of them were utterly exhausted and sore, laying curled together in the rubble. 

“This was a really uncomfortable place to fuck,” he rumbled into her ear afterwards, amused, and her giggles tinkled in his ear pleasantly. He sighed softly, hugging her tight. It wasn’t long before worry filtered back in, reminding him that the bliss of sex wasn’t something that fixed all his problems. They had left Lucy now for a while…

“We should get back.”

There was no way to hide how she tensed at the words, and Mono’s heart sunk. His fingers combed through her hair. 

“Six… can we please talk? About her.”

Already Six was pulling away. 

He snagged her wrist hard. “Please. For me. For us.”

She hesitated, lips a hard line. But she met his gaze and relented, nodding. Now what to say, though? What to do? Six was so adamant in her dislike of her daughter. 

Mono licked his lips. They still tasted of Six. 

“I love you, Six. More than I loved anything before.”

Her searching gaze seemed to question - _and now? More than her?_

Mono pretended he couldn't read that question, because he didn’t know the answer. Losing either would destroy him. _Don’t make me choose, Six, please._

“I love you. But lately, I haven’t understood you as well as I used to. Why… why are you so….” mean. Cruel. “Unkind to Lucy? I know you’re scared of me misunderstanding, but I can’t understand at all if you don’t try to explain.”

Six plopped on her butt and wrapped her arms around herself. Her expression was distant, but she nodded. She’d always been possessive, wanted it to be only him and her against the world. Hell, Mono had wanted the same thing, hadn’t wanted anything else, for so long. He’d thought he had everything he’d ever need. Now suddenly it was different. He didn’t know where Lucy fit in their life, but he was determined to find a way. 

For Six, though, Lucy was just… another outsider to come between them. She didn’t see Lucy as hers, any more than any other child - which is to say, not at all. 

Sighing, Six raised her palms upwards, and in her palms materialized the twirling shadows she possessed. Those shadows congealed into the shape of a tiny girl. Through a sequence of events, Mono watched tall shadowy adults choke her, stifle her, lock her up, while the little girl beat her fists, and screamed soundlessly, Mono couldn't pretend to understand _everything_ the shadows were trying to tell, but he got the general idea well enough.

“Not a good relationship with your mom, huh?” It was a thin, hollow statement.

Six shook her head. 

“Nn.” He slipped his fingers in hers and squeezed. He’d never know all the details, but… he’d always figured something had gone real sideways in Six’s life, from a very young age. Her fluxing maturity, her mutism, her general attitude towards parenting, among a million other bits of evidence. It wasn’t hard to put together the pieces. At no point in her life had she had something stable and positive like Mono when it came to parenting.

“I’m sorry.” It was a weak thing to say, but it was genuine. 

Six shrugged dismissively. She intended it as explanation, not as a plea for pity. _All in the past,_ she seemed to say. All long gone. Only it wasn’t, not really. Not if she brought it up. 

“You don’t have to be like that. We can be different. We can do this right.”

Six shook her head. Listlessly, tiredly. 

“You just don’t want to?”

Nod-nod.

“She’s our child, though- we have to take responsibility-“

Six’s back hunched and she let out the tiniest of gasps.

“Are you…” 

Oh. She was crying. 

“Six…” Miserable, Mono looped an arm around her shaking shoulders. She clung to his cloak and sobbed. 

They sat there a good five minutes, Six crying her heart out. He’d never felt less ready to handle anything. He couldn't begin to understand what Six was feeling, but he could at least have the compassion to realize that none of this was easy on her, either. That she’d been far less prepared than even him for a child, and he hadn’t felt prepared at all. 

When he finally spoke, it was shaky but resolved. “My father left when I was really little. I can’t do that to Lucy. I can’t, just-“

Bitter, he glanced away. All these things he thought he’d forgotten were coming back. Being small. Being vulnerable, and held at the whims of adults whose motivations were as unfathomable as they were capricious. Even his mom, who he loved through and through - she’d made choices that seemed incomprehensible to him as a kid. Now, horribly, he was beginning to understand both his parents better. 

Six finally pulled away, eyes red and swollen. She looked rumpled and exhausted and very much like a child again herself. His childhood had been no beach. Hers had undoubtedly been worse. Neither were really cut out for this. 

Mono pressed his forehead to hers. “I don’t love her in place of you, Six. I love her _because_ I love you. She’s not mine; she’s ours.”

Six sniffled. 

“I… need help. Looking after her. I can’t do this alone.”

Her eyes, riddled with doubt and trepidation, met his.

“I know you don’t know what to do either, but… for me, can you please make an effort? Can you please try to help?”

She was still for a very very long moment, and he could see the urge to draw away. The tension in her jaw. The powerful desire to shut down on any small effort to connect with Lucy or admit her wrong. Tears pricked at her eyes again. 

“ _Please_.” The plea came out broken. “She needs you. I need you.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There was only supposed to be two chapters in this story but then a lot of words happened.

Weeks passed, and then months. Their life had a new routine. While Mono and Six still found time for each other, a large chunk of energy was invested in Lucy, who was learning by leaps and bounds - literally. She had Six’s energy but _worse,_ and it was exclusively in Mono’s hands to wield it: Six still wanted nothing to do with Lucy’s upbringing. 

Of course, Six’s outright hostility and physical outbursts had eventually ceased on Mono’s pleading request, but that didn’t exactly mean Six was warm and cuddly. Mostly, she settled for ignoring Lucy and begrudgingly accepting that they’d be a trio now. 

Lucy picked up quickly that she was not wanted by Six. Mono reassured her again and again, futilely and falsely, that Six _did_ love her, she just didn't know how to express it. Lucy never believed him. Frankly, Mono didn’t blame her. She clearly craved Six’s love and attention, but she learned to be careful about seeking it. She learned to be quiet, and keep her head low, and to never, never approach Six with anything close to physical affection. She turned to other ways of gaining Six’s approval and it was heartbreaking to witness the efforts. 

Drawing pictures with the crayon nubs she collected around the city; building miniature settlements out of trash and proudly showing them off; gifting a collection of scavenged jewels, legless bugs, and once, the tail of a rat. Anything and everything, she’d give a try; she was full of ideas. None of them earned her Six’s love.

“Is it something wrong with me?” Lucy asked Mono once when Six was out of earshot. 

The simple question crushed him. "No - no, never," he told her, getting to his knees to meet her eyes. "Lucy, there's nothing wrong with you.  Don’t let anybody make you feel like there is.”

As often as he told her she was perfect exactly the way she was, Lucy never quite believed him, not fully. She looked at Six, and how playful she was around Mono, yet how stoic with Lucy, and she couldn't help but conclude over and over that in some way she was insufficient. That _she_ was the problem, not Six. Mono’s pleading for Six to rectify her negligent behavior fell on deaf ears. He desperately wanted her to at least _pretend_ that she cared about Lucy, to stop Lucy from suffering under the idea that she was somehow not good enough. 

That was thing, though - Six couldn't fake emotion for the life of her. Everything she expressed to the world tended to be the truth, or at least a fraction of the truth. She didn’t like Lucy. So she couldn't pretend to like her; wouldn't even try. It didn’t matter how much she was hurting her daughter, or distressing Mono. She couldn't be what she wasn’t. 

Mono was exasperated and dismayed. No kid should feel like they weren't enough in the eyes of their parent. No kid should feel like they were too flawed to be loved by somebody who should unconditionally care for them. Sometimes, at his darkest points, he considered leaving with Lucy. Taking her somewhere else, where he didn’t have to watch the frustration and disappointment in her eyes as Six refuted her again and again. But he couldn’t begin to bring himself to do it. He couldn't leave Six. 

Of course, staying with her came with other complications. Namely: Six had to eat. Eat she did. For this activity, they left Lucy behind in safe locations with strict instructions not to follow and not to stray far. Six got to eat her fill, Mono occasionally partaking in the hunting. After the fact, Mono ensured that Six stringently cleaned herself of any evidence. This method worked well for a while - or so Mono thought, which went to show how ill-prepared he was for the craftiness of a child. He fielded all Lucy’s questions about why he and Six disappeared by explaining it was boring adult stuff, and he thought that was sufficient, not suspecting at all that Lucy’s curiosity would get the best of her, and override Mono’s rules.

But children will be children. On more than one instance, she snuck out and trailed them to witness Six's feedings. Then snuck back before either knew she'd ever been gone. 

Mono had no idea of her excursions, not until one evening when she padded over and sat on his lap with a ruminative expression on her face. Out of habit, Mono began to comb through her tresses. By now, her hair fell below her shoulders, and it was as much of a curly mess as Mono had predicted. 

“What’s up?” Mono asked her gently. There was a hard pale line to her lips, and he knew well when Lucy was upset: she was nearly as transparent about Six when it came to her emotions. 

As if she’d been merely aching for the invitation, Lucy blurted, “Why does Six hurt people?”

Mono’s hands froze in place and his heart shot into his throat. “What do you mean?” He said faintly, his words sounding strange in his own ears as his anxiety shot into overdrive. How could Lucy have seen - what did she know-?

Lucy levelly met his gaze. She had the demeanor of one hellbent on getting answers. “I saw her. She was on top of someone and she was eating them.”

Oh, God. Mono blinked through his nausea. He thought he had left his own guilt behind long ago, but seeing Six’s actions explained through Lucy’s words had a horrible way of bringing it back. He hadn’t wanted her to see any of that. He didn’t want her to know. 

“ _Da-ad_.” Lucy tugged hard on his coat, impatient for a response.

“It’s - it’s something she has to do,” Mono stumbled over himself to say. “She can’t eat the same food you and I do.”

“Ohh. So she eats people instead.” She stated that far too calmly for Mono’s liking. He really, really didn’t like hearing this kind of subject from Lucy. He didn’t even know why he had such a visceral negative reaction: after all, Six’s hunting and eating was something he reveled in. But Lucy? She shouldn’t be involved in that. He should have been more careful to ensure she wouldn't ever find out. 

“Yes,” Mono admitted, faint as a wisp. Then, hurriedly, “Only because she has to, Lucy-” How could he explain this to her? “There’s - there’s monsters -“

Lucy nodded knowingly. She knew of the towering shadows that flitted through streets, of the deranged entities that Six sometimes had to chase off. 

“There’s monsters, and Six protects us from them.”

“She eats the monsters?”

“Yes.” His throat was dry, and he hated that it felt like lying. In reality, Six never discriminated one way or another about who she was killing. But it didn’t matter - he had come to terms with her habits long ago, and he didn’t want to bring back the moral confusion from it now. “Yes,” he said with more conviction. “She eats the monsters to protect us from them.”

“Why don’t I get to come?”

“ _What_?”

“Why do you get to go with Six, and I don’t?”

That… wasn’t the question he had been expecting.

“Would she like it if I went with you?” Lucy continued. 

“N-no-“ Mono started faintly, only to abort the word when Lucy’s face fell. That was what she was concerned about? Using this as another means to gain Six’s attention? She was caught up on that, and not on… well, the lives Six was taking. “I don’t mean she _wouldn’t_ like it-“ wait, that gave the wrong impression, “Not that she would - err, wouldn’t?” Now he had himself confused. He waved his hand dismissively. “Just - you are absolutely not allowed to come, Lucy, no matter how Six feels about it.”

“Why noooot?” She whined.

“No, it’s not negotiable - that’s - _you don’t need to see that_ -“

Lucy crossed her arms. “I already watched it once! I don’t see why it’s so bad. You said she kills monsters to protect us, right?”

“Well, yes, but-“

“So why does it matter?”

“Stop-“ Mono stood sharply, setting Lucy aside. “Look, the discussion’s over. You’re not coming, and that’s final.”

Lucy pouted and wailed, but on this subject Mono remained unwavering. Sure, yeah, maybe he’d been inundated in Six’s habits at a young age himself, but that didn’t mean Lucy needed so much exposure to it. In fact, he wished she’d never learned, that she had never even witnessed Six eating animals, much less humans. He was aware distantly that this was a double standard, but he was prevented from examining in too closely. He was too mired in the intense emotional pushback of Lucy being at all involved in Six’s sordid actions. 

After that incident, he was extra careful to make sure that he and Six ventured out entirely alone, which was difficult when Lucy very dearly wanted to follow, for reasons that were beyond him. Or maybe not entirely beyond him; it was impossible to watch Six eat and _not_ realize how much she enjoyed the activity. Maybe Lucy thought that if she were involved in some way, Six might like her better. 

It angered Mono to no end, that Lucy kept vying for Six’s attention, and Six continually failed to provide it. This, among other reasons, was part of his motivation for ultimately replacing their nomadic lifestyle with a settled community one. Maybe with other friends, Lucy might feel less hopeful for Six’s attention. Maybe a settled life would be better for her, at least for a time. Six chafed at the idea and expressed in a series of frustrated hand gestures that she didn’t feel they’d be able to provide suitable food for her that way, but Mono insisted and swore it would only be for a little. 

So they found a house within a sprawling township. This place was a refuge of sorts, with farmland and hovels enclosed by piked fences. Here adults and children could stay hidden with some degree of safety from the outside world. It promised Mono, Six and Lucy a break from traveling. It also afforded a consistent supply of decent food for Lucy at last: fresh bread, vegetables, meat. Anything you might want (unless you were Six), chances were someone was growing it or raising it. They moved into their own little hovel, which was tiny but adequate for three, where Lucy even got her own bedroom. 

Six tolerated it begrudgingly, while Lucy was beside herself with delight.

For here they lived a while, and Mono liked to believe that even Six eventually warmed to the idea. He and her had to sneak away at night for her own meals, of course, but that meant that Lucy usually didn’t know they were leaving and slept through their absence. Mono felt much safer with her being left at home, in a community where he knew she wouldn't be harmed. Meanwhile, Six got to indulge herself. It was a win-win situation, and Mono dared to actually relax and feel comfortable, thinking that maybe, maybe things would work out, even if it happened that Lucy showed very little interest in other children her age. 

However, it was in their new home that Lucy began to have trouble. 

It started one evening, several hours after dinner. Mono heard her retching in the bathroom and he ran to the rescue to hold back her hair. Nothing about her dinner had been unusual, and he concluded that it must be a simple sickness. Worried but sure she’d recover, he sent her to bed with water and told her firmly to rest up until she felt better. Of course, Lucy being Lucy, she was up within twenty minutes, and waving off his concern. 

“I’m fine, really!” She raided the fridge to replenish the food she’d lost, and was indeed perfectly fine the rest of the night. Mono didn’t think any more about it. It had to have been a one-off thing. 

Then it happened again. 

“I’m _fiiiine_ ,” Lucy growled again, slapping away his hands. “Look, no fever!” She smacked her hand to her forehead and overall looked so lively that Mono sighed and permitted her to stay up the rest of the evening anyway. 

These two incidents kickstarted a new habit of Lucy’s, though, which was an increasing pickiness at the table. She used to eat everything provided to her with great abandon (even back in the early weeks of her life, when Mono didn’t have much at all but stale bread). Now, suddenly, she had all kinds of thoughts and ideas about what foods she would eat and which ones she wouldn’t. 

“Broccoli is gross,” she pouted, arms crossed and head turned away. It was one in a succession of battles Mono and Lucy had had over the last few weeks.

Exasperated, he tried again, “You have to eat your vegetables, Lucy. You can’t just pick out what you don’t like.”

“But they’re grooooss.”

“You used to love broccoli-“

“And now I don’t.” She shoved the plate away.

Mono groaned. “You could help, y’know,” he muttered to Six. 

No response. Granted, she didn’t usually get involved, but Mono was feeling particularly bitter, and he expected a snort of derision for his trouble, or at the very least, some acknowledgement that he had spoken to her. When she offered nothing at all, Mono glanced over. What he saw arrested him for a moment: Six sitting very still, eyes slightly narrowed, studying Lucy with an eerily solemn ruminative look. 

“Yo, earth to Six?” 

Six shook her head like shaking off a thought, and peered back to Mono. “Nn?”

“Ah, never mind.”

Six continued to be no help at the dinner table, or for any portion of Lucy’s care. But something had definitely changed. Previously, Six would ignore Lucy entirely, reluctant to do so much as look at her. Now, though? Now Mono was catching poorly disguised sideways glances at Lucy. Like Six actually had some modicum of interest or concern. 

“You've been really thoughtful lately,” Mono remarked to her once, but Six only shrugged lightly, keeping her secrets for the time being. 

Next time Lucy threw up, Six leaned in the doorframe, dark eyes surveying the scene. Putting pieces together, though Mono didn't know it at the time. He’d been too caught up worrying about Lucy. Worrying about things like chronic disorders, illnesses… He’d been too naive. Too set in the idea that Lucy took after him with appetite - if only because he desperately wanted it to be true.

Six proved him very wrong, of course.

The next time they were at the table, and Mono started in on Lucy eating her vegetables, he nearly had the shit scared out of him by Six’s fingers shooting out of nowhere and clawing around his wrist.

“Ow - what!?”

She shook her head stiffly.

The table had gone very silent. Lucy’s eyes swerved between Mono and Six, jaw slightly ajar in disbelief. Six had never _ever_ intervened in Lucy’s care in… well, ever. She’d been indifferent at best, and cruel at worst. 

“What?” Mono asked softly, struck by the gravity of the situation. Six stood, crossed to Lucy’s side of the table, and sat beside her. It was probably the closest she’d voluntarily been to Lucy for the girl’s entire life and both Mono and Lucy were struck dumb. 

“Uhm…” Lucy’s eyes flitted back to Mono’s in panic. _Should I be worried_? Mono could only offer a bewildered look in return. 

Six raised her hand to her lips. Her sharp sharp teeth punctured into her finger. 

“Hold on,” Mono started, standing with a screech of his chair across the floor.

Six held out the welling injury to Lucy. Mono let out a squawk, about to go on a _what the fuck are you doing_ spiel but Six silenced him with a short growl.

“Uhh…”Lucy was clearly freaked out, and cast anxious glances towards Mono as if asking for guidance.

Mono understood, of course, what Six was aiming for, and it enraged him beyond reason. 

“Lucy doesn’t have Hunger,” he snapped, queasy to watch Six hold out her wounded hand in front of Lucy like enticing some wild animal. It was one thing to see or participate in Six’s eating. It was another thing entirely to see his daughter being put to some morbid test like this. He was relieved that at the least, Lucy didn’t show the same carnal desire that Six would have expressed at such an offer. Instead, she sat spine straight in her chair and looked in bewildered confusion between Six and Mono.

“What does she want?” Lucy squeaked. 

“Six, stop, she’s just - sick, or picky - most kids don’t like their greens-“

“ _Sh-sh_!” Six silenced him.

“I’m supposed to uh-“ Lucy’s eyes drifted to the blood dripping from Six’s finger. She swallowed, looking distinctly uncomfortable. This was the one single thing her mother had ever asked of her. The only bit of deliberate attention Six had offered, after all of Lucy’s failed attempts to earn her love. Mono saw the resolve settle in her. 

“ _You don’t have to_ ,” he began, annoyed; Lucy would do anything Six asked just because of how detached Six was to her. But this was a cruel and messed up test, and Lucy didn’t deserve to undergo it. 

Lucy had already made up her mind, though. If this was what Six wanted her to do, then she would give it a try. Her little hands grasped Six’s finger. After a moment to gather her resolve, she tilted her head down and covered the wound with her mouth. 

“ _See_ -“ Mono started to say, because in the first second Lucy’s expression was scrunched in the disgust of what she was doing. But then the blood hit her tongue. The jolt that coursed through her body was visceral. Her teeth instinctively clamped down, seeking more; her eyes sprang wide open. She clung tightly, desperately to Six’s hand, and suddenly, it was all about swallowing down as much blood as she could manage.

“She’s like you,” Mono realized with dawning dread.

Six nodded, and a slow smile curled at her lips.


	3. Chapter 3

Lucy having Hunger obviously wasn’t a deal breaker for Mono. Six’s Hunger hadn’t been, and he couldn't imagine treating Lucy any lesser for it. She was his daughter, no matter what. 

There were a few things, however, that _did_ bother him about Lucy’s newly manifested attributes. 

Firstly, and somewhat trifling - he had enjoyed having another family member like him. Another average Joe sort, without any strange powers or hungers. When Lucy proved to take after Six more, Mono’s sense of belonging got a hair’s breadth thinner, and suddenly there was something bonding Lucy to Six, something Mono could never hope (nor desire) to share. This ugly jealously he could swallow down, though, and pretend didn’t exist. It was manageable. 

Secondly, and harder to dismiss - Lucy was just a kid. She was his daughter. Deep down,he hadn’t wanted her to be part of the world Six (and he) lived in. He didn’t want that darkness to be a part of Lucy, or for Lucy to have to be part of it. It was grossly naive, but he’d half hoped that maybe Lucy could just live away from all the death. That maybe they could raise her unaware of it.

In reality, that was impossible, especially given Six’s proclivities, but… He’d been able to foster that tiny hope, until now.

However, even the truth that Lucy had a similar darkness in herself was something he could come to terms with, given enough time. 

One issue wasn’t so easily dismissed or accepted. One issue had him rife with a near-constant unease. 

Simply put, he was… concerned. About Lucy. About the attention Six was all too keen to provide. 

That might seem picky: after all, he’d spent so long wanting nothing more than for Six to acknowledge her own kin in some positive way. Now he got his wish, and he was complaining?

But…

It wasn’t so much the fact Six was giving her attention, but the _kind_ of attention she was giving. And _why_ she gave it. 

See… from her birth, Mono had been the one feeding Lucy, changing her, rocking her to sleep, teaching her to talk and walk - _everything_. No matter how gross it was, or how tired he was, it had been _him_ doing these things, while Six remained callous and distant.

Mono cared about Lucy unconditionally. Six, though… Six was finally ready to give Lucy all that approval she had craved, _only_ because of her unorthodox appetite. What would it do to Lucy’s psyche now that she was learning the single way to get Six to care about her was by what food she put in her stomach? 

Couldn't that be damaging? Couldn't that place an unhealthy amount of pressure on her? Or make her think that’s all she was worth?

Mono hemmed and hawed over the subject, but he didn’t know how to bring it up. What was he going to do - tell Six to _stop_ paying attention to Lucy? That was ridiculous. But approaching Lucy about the issue could be bad, too: Lucy was _finally_ relishing Six’s regard. In fact, she was over the moon about it! Wouldn't it be an asshole move to take her aside and warn her about Six? And what would he even warn her _about,_ specifically? 

That irrationality didn’t stop him from making the mistake of trying once. 

He called her aside, and said, “Please be careful around Six.” He spoke this with a quiet urgency; it was a tired mantra that had taken on new, fresh meaning.

“What?”

“Be careful. I know her attention is really absorbing, but-"

Lucy only pulled away and shot him a dirty look that scalded him. “I’ve _always_ been careful around her,” she replied. “This is finally my chance NOT to be. Why aren’t you just happy about that?”

He faltered on a response, because what was he supposed to say? That he wasn’t afraid of Six _physically_ hurting her anymore, but he _was_ afraid of what Six could do to her mental state? Much like before, he was placed in the paralyzing place of having to warn a child about the dangers of the other parent, but he didn’t know how to begin. 

“I just mean there’s a lot more to you than just what you eat,” he tried carefully. “And I’m worried that Six-“

“I know who I am,” Lucy rolled her eyes: a habit she’d picked up lately that hurt more than Mono was willing to admit. 

Attempts to explain fell on deaf ears, and he couldn't blame Lucy, not really. In her eyes, she was finally getting what she had wanted for so long. Mono’s efforts to intervene came off as him being upset that he wasn't the sole caregiver anymore.

Talking with Six was out of the question - well, he _tried_ it, but it went over just as well as one might expect.

Uncompromising, Six decreed there’d be no more fruits or vegetables on Lucy’s plate. On that, Mono agreed, even though it disheartened him to give plain meat every meal. Six also decided there’d be nothing cooked either; Mono was reluctant, but agreed given that having her food uncooked - or even live and writhing - never once caused Six problems.

All these choices were a part of Six's new interest in Lucy: she looked at the girl like she could at last see herself in her daughter, in a way she never had before. That frustrated Mono: Lucy was similar to Six in so many ways, but it was this one single way that Six clung to, obvious of any other likeness. Regardless of what caused it, Six now also was receptive to playing with Lucy, and Lucy was beside herself the first time they played Lava Monster. 

All these things she bore with a brimming, suppressed happiness, not daring to upset Six in any way.  Around Mono, though, her excitement bubbled over, because around him, she wasn’t afraid to be energetic or honest (or herself). For that at least, he was grateful. “Eeeee,” She danced in place, “Dad I can’t believe it - Six actually _played_ with me! Did you see? Did you see?”

He had, and he told her so warmly. It was a mixed bag, though. He liked to see Six and Lucy playing together, sure. It was everything else that concerned him.

More than once, Six fed Lucy blood from her own hand, and each time Six regarded this with a strange sort of delight in her eyes. Every time, Lucy looked to Mono for an okay before partaking. It was a _yes_ he reluctantly gave each time, unsettled for reasons that were hard and hypocritical to describe.

All this meant that he lived day to day with a weird malcontent deep in his belly. His own appetite was lower than ever. But it was far too late to change anything, anyway. 

Lucy was riding a new sort of high, and Six had taken on a certain prideful custody of her. She knew she was the best candidate for helping Lucy navigate her strange appetite, and Six seemed to revel in not being alone. Her connection with Lucy was cemented in her mind now, if only years after Lucy was born. 

Mono had to either accept their relationship, or handle annoying and pushing away the both of them. Acceptance it was, albeit a reluctant one. 

For a while, everything seemed like roses between them, until Lucy approached Mono alone once, and blurted, “can you tell me about Six?”

“What?”

“Tell me about Six. About her appetite. Everything.”

A short flick of an awkward smile appeared on Mono’s face. “Where's this coming from?”

Lucy shrugged one shoulder. 

“Did she do something-?” Mono started with rising alarm. 

“What? _No_.” Lucy snorted. “I’ve already seen her kill somebody, dad, what more if she gonna do?”

It was a hypothetical question, but Six could get very creative with her hunts when she felt like it, and Mono was sure Six would still have new surprises.

Lucy continued, “I just… know so little about her, or what um, what Hunger’s like for her. I think it might be simpler for her than me…”

This was Lucy, coming to Mono for questions about Hunger… Maybe he could actually be _useful_ here. “What do you mean simpler?” Mono tried.

“It doesn’t always seem simple to me,” Lucy burst out, as if she’d been waiting a long time to say it. “She really, really enjoys eating, and I get it now-“ Lucy’s hand settled over her stomach and pressed lightly in. “It feels… really good. But.” Her expression scrunched up. “I don't know. I guess I feel weird about it sometimes, and she doesn’t seem to?”

“Weird how?” prompted Mono, his brow furrowing. 

“Mostly I feel like me, but… now it’s like there’s something else there, too. And I can’t really control it. It’s - slimy-feeling. It’s not there most of the time, but when it is, I feel like it’s everywhere in me and I can’t stop it.”

Somehow that simplified description had Mono queasy. 

“She killed a rabbit this morning,” Lucy continued, quieter, furtively. “And gave it to me.”

Oh, no. No, they hadn’t discussed something like that - 

“I ate it. But I don’t know if I wanted to. It had these big gentle eyes, and… but eating it still felt good, and -“ Lucy’s breath hitched. 

“Oh, Lucy-“ Mono gathered her close and soothed her as she dissolved into tears. She cried like Six, too; strangely quiet, even without the years of trauma to condition that trait in. “Six shouldn’t have done that.”

Lucy sniffled, “I want to be able to choose what to eat or not, but when she held it out, and I could smell the blood-“

“Shh, it’s okay, it’s okay-“

“I - I wanna make her happy, but she’s never actually explained how to stop it, how to control it-“

Mono’s lips pressed in a thin line. Control was something Six vehemently resisted. He was not at all surprised to hear that Six’s instructions on Hunger included nothing about restraining it.“I can’t pretend I know what that’s like,” he murmured, fighting to keep his annoyance in check, because it wasn’t Lucy he was annoyed at. “But maybe… maybe it’ll help if we make sure you’re always well-fed? So that it never gets too bad. If it helps, I can pack you snacks every morning. Something you’ll always have on hand in case it strikes. Something to eat instead, you know?”

She nodded weakly, rubbing the tears from her eyes. “I guess we can try that…”

From then on, Mono always made sure to pack strips of meat into a little messenger bag, which Lucy was never seen without. Jerky proved to be the best for this, even though Six got fussy over the idea of Lucy eating dried up strips of dead meat. 

“Just because she has Hunger, doesn’t mean she’s going to approach it exactly the same way as you,” Mono scolded her, and Six gave him the bitterest of looks. 

She apparently took it as a challenge, because not even a few weeks later, Lucy approached him with a new concern, which she addressed in her usual roundabout way. It started with the question, “Did Six always have Hunger, or did she get it later, like me?” 

Mono was taken aback. “I don't know,” he admitted. “We met when she was…” Even her age he didn’t know. “A child, like you,” he finished. “And she already had it then. Already was very comfortable with it…” 

“Really? Were you guys, I mean- was she eating other kids at my age?”

That was a loaded question. The answer was definitely _yes_ , but she wasn’t asking just to know, not by the look in her eye. She was asking to know whether she should be doing so herself, too. “I… not _always_ , but…”

The solemnness that overcame Lucy’s face showed she understood the gravity of that statement. Six had killed and eaten other children, by Lucy’s age. Mono was grateful that Lucy didn’t show _excitement_ or anything similarly naive and frightening. It was also difficult to swallow that she didn’t show revulsion, either. 

“Is that something I should be doing?” Lucy whispered lowly. 

“No, no, no- Lucy, that’s -“ Mono blew out of his lips hard. Fuck. Six would probably have a very different response to this. And she might not agree with his. But he wasn’t going to lie. “I don’t think you should be doing anything like that. At least um, not yet.” Oh man, the idea of his daughter killing people _ever_ was something he just wasn’t ready to handle yet. He gazed worriedly at her, and stroked the top of her head kindly. “Lucy, you don’t have to do _anything_ you don’t want to. And I know Six might not feel the same, but… you don’t have to navigate this thing the same way she did. You can find your own way.”

“Nn.” She made exactly the same noise Six made when she was thinking; it was almost uncanny.

“Look, if you don’t ever want to uh,” boy, this was surprisingly hard to say, “um, eat other kids, or anything like that, you don’t have to. In fact, I don’t think you should at all.”

“Why not?” She met his gaze, the question sincere.

“I mean, it’s… you don’t _need_ to eat live food to survive, so no reason to do that, right?”

“Six told me it’s better. Than eating something dead, I mean. That it’s way better.”

“How did she even tell you that anyway?” 

“She says a lot without speaking. And trust me, she made that part _really_ clear.”

“Well, yea, but-“ It was weird to think Lucy and Six were finding communication so easy, but it wasn’t exactly new information: he’d seen then before, ‘chatting’ without any words at all. He had a hard time justifying his discomfort about that to himself, so he tried not to think about it, but it was true: nowadays, Lucy seemed to be better at understanding Six than Mono was. Mono shook his head. “Just because something feels good doesn’t mean it _is_ good.”

“So killing another person is bad?”

“Yes-“ 

“Then why do you help Six do it?”

Mono choked. “How did - _what?_ \- that’s not-“

“You said Six killed monsters to protect us, but then you said she kills kids, too, and now I don’t really think she’s killing monsters to protect us-“

“Stop stop stop-“ Mono rubbed his temples with trembling fingers. Jesus Christ, he hadn’t expected this. Yeah, Lucy’s life was riddled with contradictions and rights and wrongs that didn’t add up. But he tried his best not to think about it, and part of him had just… stupidly figured that Lucy wouldn't put any pieces together, or question anything about it. 

“And nobody else in town does that,” Lucy continued. “You told me not to tell the other kids about Hunger, but they do talk to me, and they said mostly only monsters are killing other monsters-“

“ _Stop it_!”

Lucy shrank back, eyes round. Mono never yelled. 

He exhaled heavily. “No. I’m sorry. It’s… it’s complicated, Lucy.”

“I want to eat like Six does.”

Seven words he really hadn’t wanted to hear. 

“And she wants to take me hunting,” Lucy continued. Still she watched him carefully. “But I don’t want to make you upset.”

“Yeah, it’s - it’s a little upsetting-“

“Six said you'd be upset,” Lucy admitted. “Even if I asked for permission.”

_Clearly_ these two had been talking a lot more than Mono had thought. He was no more ready to process that revelation than he was to process Lucy throwing the dichotomies of his life in his face. And it was so out of the blue. After his last conversation with Lucy, he’d come away with that impression Lucy would be sort of… doing her own thing with Hunger, and keeping it low-key while she worked it out. Now suddenly she wanted to hunt, just like Six, and was ready to cast aside her own doubts?

“But why are you upset?” Lucy pressed. She was in distress over this, too, clearly - but not due to her own moral quandaries - only because Mono was taking it poorly. “Six said you hunt with her, and I’m not stupid. I know you guys go out at night when I’m supposed to be sleeping.”

“You’re supposed to be sleeping then-“

“Dad.” She said it soft, and it arrested his protest. “I want to do this, okay?”

“What happened to being upset about the rabbit?”

“I don't know. Things are different now. You’d see that if you actually hung out more with Six and I.”Her expression was heavy and melancholic, but also firm. It struck Mono in that moment just how much older she seemed; how much more mature. 

When she walked away, he buried his face in his hands. 

What if he’d been wrong all along? What if he _was_ just jealous that Six finally had a relationship with Lucy? They seemed to be moving along just fine on their own, while he was the one stuck mired in his worries, falling further and further behind. _He_ was the one pulling the strings of the family apart now, not Six.

“Fuck,” he muttered under his breath. 

When Lucy went on her first hunt, he came, too. He didn’t want to damage their relationships anymore. He didn’t want to be stuck, stalling and deliberating and consumed in worry, when Six and Lucy were actually living, building a mutual understanding. He wanted to be living with them. 

So he joined them for the long trek outside the boundaries of their cozy settlement. Out into the woods alone, like they once had been, all while Mono’s stomach flip flopped. 

Lucy and Six expressed only excited yearning. _Hunger_. The both of them filled with electric anticipation. They communicated silently with each other, a brimming array of gestures and expressions that Mono couldn't always interpret. 

_You ARE just jealous,_ his mind hissed to him, and he found he couldn't disagree. That _had_ to be the truth. 

Six fetched the chosen food item: a small boy with large brown eyes. A boy who had been wandering the woods at the wrong time. Mono had killed so often with Six, and yet this one kid, he looked away from. 

_Snap._ Six broke his leg like it was a twig and his howls were so loud that Mono prayed they didn’t make it all the way back to their community. 

_Thud_ , the kid was dropped to the ground. He didn’t waste any time flipping onto his stomach and doing a gangly three-limbed scramble to get away. The pace was slow, the movements riddled with pain. For the first time in a very long time, guilt began to crawl up Mono’s throat. 

Six waved to get Lucy’s attention, and then she drew a line across her throat, grinning, and pointed. _Go on._

The raw anticipation in Lucy’s eyes was freaky. It didn’t belong on her face, not in Mono’s opinion. But this was what Six wanted her to do. It was what she wanted to do, maybe. 

But Lucy didn’t move. She glanced to Mono, like she had a hundred times before for much smaller things. _This is okay, right?_

No. 

He wanted to say no. 

He wanted to pretend like he was better than he had been, and he wanted to pretend like this wasn’t Lucy’s future. Maybe it wouldn't have been, even, if he had left with Lucy a long, long time ago. Maybe he could have taught her not to eat living things. But the chance for that was gone. If he said no now, Lucy would only want to another time. And that kid? Six would get him. His refusal would do nothing except drive the wedge between him and Lucy and Six deeper.

Mono forced an encouraging smile. Nodded. 

The relief in her face was tangible. “Thanks, dad!” She mouthed, and then she was off. Doing as Six had taught. 

When Lucy pinned down that kid, and ripped their throat out with her teeth, any illusion was shattered. Mono wanted to throw up, same as he had when he first witnessed Six eating something live and squirming. How weird for the two same reactions to be years apart. Now, just like then, he swallowed back on his revulsion. That was still Lucy. That was still his daughter. 

This was... okay. This was good, even. It was what Lucy and Six wanted. Spending too long on the right or wrong wouldn't do anyone good. 

So Lucy ate, and ate, and ate. Six guided her, with a knowing look in her eye and a sinister, approving smile at her lips.

It became the normal, much as Six’s appetite had. Lucy needed more than Mono could provide; she needed a certain nutrition that Six could teach her how to get, and it would be cruel to deny her what her body required. The same excuses and justifications Mono had mentally provided to explain why he condoned and actively participated with Six regarding her appetite came flowing right back in, and they were equally persuasive the second time around - if not more so. 

He had a happy family. What more could he ask for?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am sure Six has irrevocably screwed Lucy up and some day I'd like to write something about that. I also wanted this chapter to be longer tbh but I couldn't manage to put in all the scenes I wanted to. That finicky muse!


End file.
